Hello - I’ve just joined this forum and was hoping for some advice.
Following recent price increases with Roon I decided to not renew since I am already coughing up quite a bit on a monthly basis for Tidal HiFi.
Perhaps I will in the future move back to using Roon however I have no major gripes with the Focal/Naim app on IOS so would like to understand what the options are in streaming my own music library kept on a Synology DS1819 NAS to my Uniti Atom.
Prior to expiring my Roon subscription my Roon Endpoint was running on a Dell Optiplex micro PC running Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. I tried running the Roon endpoint directly on the NAS however it wasn’t really up to the job (slow low power processor etc).
So I basically need to stream bits from the Dell Optiplex to the Uniti Atom however am unsure what would be the best of breed software (FOSS if possible) to work with the Uniti Atom and Focal/Naim IOS app.
Any advice appreciated and greetings from Switzerland !
If as is then the Naim app, works fine but that said i never use it except to power on and off.
Maybe explore servers, there are a few favourites here, mine being Innuos which just release a version that allows the first unfold with a Naim DAC upto 24/96.
Subscription model is a thing I really hate, also have a few, but I Am slowly ditching one by one.
This subscription model has become a blessing and a problem, is great for the business but a burden for the users.
As much as I Am into Roon and I Am a lifetime user, I also admit that is not a really necessary subscription to listen to our music, is an alternative interface.
Audirvana has gone this route too, but at least they offer an alternative license that you loose the streaming capability and get the updates for an year, but then the software continues working without updates does not stop, but it’s up to you to renew another year of updates when you want it.
Also the total dependence of Roon in an active internet connection has become problematic for some users, more than one time I was without Roon because of internet service failure.
The Naim App is a great alternative and works well with Naim hardware, just install an UPNP server on your NAS and you are good to go.
Hi David, UPnP servers use very little resource so a basic NAS will have no problems running one. Your Synology has a basic UPnP music server which you can open so that the Atom can see your music folder in its server input. You really don’t need a separate device running the server as you do with Roon, which requires a much more powerful device to run it properly
If you find the Synology server too basic, you can install Asset or Minimserver instead. These are more versatile, configurable music servers that some prefer.
Another simple option is to use the built in UPnP server that runs on the Atom. To do this you just need to connect a copy of your library to the Atom USB port, go to the Server input, and find your library under Local Music.
I bought my Lifetime Roon subscription a few years ago, it was half the price it is now. However, Roon still give me all the updates free of charge, it just gets better! I think my first version was 1.3 or 1.4. I like the interface, and I am very use to it.
I have local music stored on a SSD, backup on a NAS drive. A FLAC ripped CD will store 3 CD’s in 2Gb, A DSD rip gets one CD rip in 2Gb, have the data changed no, however, the modulation method has. It is very different, if it is better is a matter of conjecture, it certainly requires a higher specification PC to process.
I use a DAC that will do native DSD conversion, based on the original Khandas toneboard.
I can recommend the Asset server software, made by Illustrate, who also do dbpoweramp. It’s not expensive and works really well. Just install it on your Synology and off you go. The Naim app will pick up your music happily.
UPnP servers are pretty basic in features so yes its like going backwards in time compared to Roon. I have asset purely as a backup along with LMS and Plex, but Roon isnt going away in this house.
A NAS, as I’m sure you know, can be located anywhere as it only needs a network connection to find your streamer and other devices. My point, though, was that just a simple USB drive is all you would need to connect directly to the Atom. For some that is all that’s necessary and a basic USB drive for £50 could be all that’s required. If you have a backup copy of the music on your NAS you probably already have something suitable.
I cancelled my Roon subscription the other day just before the annual renewal. I’ve been weaning myself back to the Naim app for my Uniti Core and Qobuz after realising that gave better sound quality rather than using Roon on my iMac. Although Roon had great information, I was also finding it a bit of a distraction from being immersed in the music. So, happy back on the pure Naim streaming set up, independent from any computers. I’m still waiting on my BNC cable to try direct play from the Core to the NDX2.
If you want an alternative look at Audirvana Origin which is a pay-once alternative. It is a nice complement to what you get in a Naim or Linn streamer. Runs on masOS or Windows. You can use it without network via USB or over network via UPnP. It has its own remote app.
I ran it for a while recently via a Holo Audio RED to clean up the USB (convert it to SPDIF) to the DAC and it sounded pretty o.k.
With my cloth ears Roon sounds the same to me as say Qobuz through Naim app but if it sounds worse to you that’s a massive hurdle.
Your profile is hidden so don’t know your set up. I have a fanless NUC under hifi rack (sub optimal) with LPSU and am a lifetime subscriber - this was done for less cost than a Nucleus.
The info is good but the way you can research artists, etc. through links elevates the experience as does being able to apply dsp to correct room influences or apply volume levelling. If you stream only, as I do, it’s probably more appealing too.
If you’ve tried it and don’t rate it I won’t be able to convince you otherwise and it’s not a cheap as it once was.
Best.
Roon 100% does sound slightly worse than say qobuz.
Its been stated by many, it has a slightly less dynamic, more closed in sound.
Many reviewers also find this, etc.
I tried it myself before i had looked, and searched into its sound quality. As i found it to be worse straight from the off, and even asked the question on here.
After looking into it more, more people are now comparing it, and finding the same.
Regarding Roon and that Naim App, the Naim App sounds better to me, could be my Roon server, but the naim app always sounded more natural and tridimensional.
But still prefer Roon to discover music and in global overall, but really is not as good as the naim app.
I have same experience in that it sounds better through naim interface than Roon. When I had my Lumin streamer they had a Roon only mode which sounded better and similar to naim app vs Roon. More direct sound. Better timing and such.
Indeed, Naim only use a PCM DAC chip, and only use code to convert DSD to PCM. I guess it would be too much to ask them to redesign there projects to decode native higher rate DSD?
I remember when Linn introduced the Sondek CD12, stating that CD now is worthy of the Sondek badge, that was with the introduction of SACD, which was encoded using DSD technology.
It’s almost immediately clear (to me) that Roon robs my NDS streamer of its music just after 10 mins or so of playing, it sounds dull and lacks of life, even I have done everything to optimise it (Nucleus, wired ethernet, switches + good PSU, etc).
Btw, I am not really a novice with respect to digital streaming, I have had several streamers/DACs since early the day of the Logitech Transporter in 2009.
Sounds like you’re not alone in perceiving a drop in sound quality.
I’m not a Naim, gen 1 streamer, user or know the set up/server you ran Roon on.
Shame it didn’t work out for you.